Ex-O’s defender Darren Purse will be on the touchline against Leyton Orient’s under-18s in the FA Youth Cup this week

Leyton Orient’s clash away to AFC Rushden & Diamonds in the third qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday night will be notable for a couple of reasons.

First of all, the O’s under-18s will be seeking to continue the club’s good recent run in the competition.

Last season, they reached the third round before losing at West Bromwich Albion’s Hawthorns Stadium after winning four times in the tournament having started out in the second qualifying round.

The year before, in the 2016/17 term, Orient’s youth-team provided a shining light in a terrible season for the first-team with a goal-crazy journey to the third round.

After a 6-0 win away to Southend United was followed by the 7-1 thrashing of Poole Town, Danny Webb’s under-18s lost out 3-1 away to then-Premier League champions Leicester City on a memorable night for the E10 club.

Even though this season has been difficult for the O’s youth, they made it through the second qualifying round with a 2-1 success at home to Romford.

Now they will make the long trip to AFC Rushden & Diamonds and on the touchline will be a familiar face to Orient fans.

The Diamonds youth-team are managed by Darren Purse, who ironically progressed through the O’s academy during the early 1990s.

Stepney-born Purse played over 50 times for Orient before leaving at the end of the 1995/96 campaign and going on to carve out a very successful career in the Football League.

He played in the Premier League with Birmingham City and West Brom and was a regular in the Championship with Cardiff City.

Since calling time on his playing career last season, following a spell with Enfield Town of the Bostik Premier, Purse has focused his time on coaching Oxford United’s under-16s and Rushden & Diamonds’ academy side.

The ex-Orient defender did face his old club during the 2015/16 campaign when his Staines Town team visited east London in the first round of the FA Cup.